Pennsylvania Senate To Vote On New Budget

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The Pennsylvania Senate is poised today to vote on a budget plan that would make significant restorations of cuts proposed by Governor Corbett who continues to urge caution with the state’s finances.

With the state’s revenue picture improving, the Senate is expected to approve a budget plan that would restore the governor’s proposed cuts for state-owned universities and three state-related schools, Temple, Pitt and Penn State in exchange for a pledge from the heads of those schools to keep tuition hikes at or below the rate of inflation.

The Senate budget would also reduce by half Corbett’s proposed cuts to county run human services programs. In the House, Stephen Miskin – spokesman for the House majority leader – gave the Senate’s plan a qualified, first blush positive review.

“We still have another month of revenues to come in and projections, but right now, their proposal is moving in the right direction, yes.”

But the governor is not as enthusiastic. Corbett has said he’s open to discussion of budget cut restorations but remains concerned about whether funding levels can be sustained in the next fiscal year.